Vol. 535 No. 1
121 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of licences which have not been renewed in each of the past five years under the Employment Agency Act, 1971; the reasons for the non-renewal of these licences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12224/01]
122 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of valid licences currently in use under the Employment Agency Act, 1971; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12225/01]
124 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of licences which have been revoked in each of the past five years under the Employment Agency Act, 1971; the reasons for the revoking of the licences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12227/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 122 and 124 together.
The number of employment agencies currently holding an employment agency licence under the Employment Agency Act, 1971, is 686. No employment agency licences have been revoked in the past five years. My Department does not keep statistics of employment agency licences which have not been renewed. In cases where a licence has not been renewed the simple reason for such non-renewal is that the employment agency has not applied for a new licence. It is a requirement of the Employment Agency Act, 1971, that applicants for an employment agency licence must apply each year to renew the licence and also place an advertisement in a national daily newspaper to this effect. It is accordingly assumed by my Department that such agencies are no longer trading as an employment agency.
My Department is undertaking a review of the Employment Agency Act, 1971. As part of this review, it is intended to introduce a new computer-based system in relation to the issuing of employment agency licences. This new system will facilitate the production of more elaborate statistics concerning, among others, the renewal and non-renewal of employment agency licences. It will also include a facility which will automatically send renewal application forms to every licensed agency eight weeks prior to the renewal date of the licence. This will put the onus on the agency to indicate its intentions to my Department. I expect to have this new system in place over the coming months.
